Origin of Darkness
by Demonwolf
Summary: My theory on where the Rhino came from. Connects with the Kingdom Hearts series, especially the up-coming 'Birth By Sleep.' Rated T just to be safe.


**Origin of Darkness**

_This little fic has been in my head for a week, so I decided I'd better write it down. Now, I have no idea how Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep will play out. I have heard rumors that 'James and the Giant Peach' will be featured in it, but I haven't been able to find any confirmation on it. Regardless, I think Ven, Terra, and Aqua making a quick stop in the world would be a good idea. With that said, I hope you all enjoy this story._

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I can only dream.**

The summer evening over the south of England was just as warm and peaceful as anyone could hope for. Families sat in their yards or on their porches, enjoying each other's company. Animals frisked about in the meadows and forests with no fear of being hunted. All in all, it was the type of evening that made people happy to be alive.

In a small clearing close by the sea, a small campfire flickered. Crouched around it were three young adults who looked very much out of place in the simple towns of England. The oldest among them had dark hair and very light blue eyes. He wore a dark black shirt with a red cross and a sort of armored plate on his left arm. He carried a strange looking weapon shaped like a key, but no keychain dangled from it. Leaning back, the man, who was called Terra, tilted his head back to watch as the sun slowly set.

Next to him, a much younger man (boy, to be more accurate) dangled a stick over the fire. His light spiky hair and brilliant blue eyes gleamed in the flames and reflected off his own key-shaped weapon. Terra grinned. Ventus or Ven, as he was known, was still young, but was shaping up to be a powerful fighter. Indeed, the new creatures- Heartless- that were emerging to menace the worlds, would have much to fear once Ven was old enough to fight on his own.

The last member of the team was the only girl, but was also a force to be reckoned with. Aqua had blue-black hair and blue eyes just like Terra's. Like the men, she also carried a key-like blade and she knew how to use it.

"Man, those guys were really staring at me today," Ven said, continuing to dangle the stick over the flames. Terra shrugged his broad shoulders.

"We come from a different world. People just seem to sense that, Ven. Never mind it, though; we'll be leaving here by tomorrow afternoon." Aqua blew a stray lock of hair out of her face.

"No one has seen nor heard of anyone matching Master Xehanort's description. Hard to imagine him coming to a place like this anyway; he'd want to go somewhere where he could blend in." Terra nodded.

"We'll find him, guys. But not tonight." The oldest of the trio stretched, the muscles rippling in his arms. As he did, a wind sprang up and Terra froze, his senses suddenly on high alert. His two companions froze as well.

"What IS that?" Ven asked, reaching for his weapon.

"Something bad," Aqua answered, looking up at the pink and orange sky. Terra frowned as he watched clouds gathering a few miles further down by the coast.

"Ven, you and Aqua stay here. Stay alert and be careful. I'll be back as soon as I can." Without another word, Terra hefted his blade and sped off, hoping beyond hope that he was not too late.

* * *

It wasn't until hours later that Terra returned. He was dirty, exhausted, and extremely upset.

"Terra!" Aqua called, waving him over. Ven fed more wood to the fire as Terra plodded over and sat down, his dark hair flopping over his eyes.

"Terra?" Aqua knelt down next to him, wondering what could be distressing him.

"How I could I let this happen?" Terra lamented in a thick voice.

"What? What happened?" Van asked, laying a tentative hand on Terra's armored arm.

"The clouds were thick by the time I got to the beach. There was a ton of lightning and thunder and it was starting to rain. I was hoping it was just a bad storm and then I saw it.""What?" Aqua asked, feeling her heart begin to pound.

"A giant Heartless. It took the shape of a rhinoceros and it charged through the sky; it shoot lightning from its horn and it roared louder than the thunder."

"A Heartless shaped like a rhino? Where'd it come from?" Ven was gazing at his older friend with a mixture of awe and fear in his blue eyes.

"I'm not sure, Ven. But it was pure darkness. And… it killed tonight."

"What?"

"I'm afraid so. A married couple were devoured by that… that _thing_."

"Oh, Terra." Aqua came over and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "But it wasn't your fault. I know you did all you could."

"Yeah, but I still let two people die and left their son- a boy no older than six or seven, I might add- an orphan."

For a while, the three friends sat in silence. Ven eventually broke it by asking,

"Terra, are you sure it was a Heartless?" Terra glanced over at his young friend. Ven continued.

"Heartless go after people's hearts, but you said this thing ate its victims. That doesn't sound like a Heartless to me." Aqua suddenly stood up and ran to get a small backpack she carried with her and began rummaging through it.

"One second, guys. I think I have an answer to that." For a few seconds, the only sound was the soft rifling of paper as Aqua searched out a specific entry. She stopped, read a few sentences, and then held the book out to her companions as she read aloud."'Titan: A Heartless created by feelings of hate so strong that the emotion takes on a form of its own and destroys those despised by the heart(s) who birthed it. Normally takes the form of a large and often intimidating-looking animal. Appears to eat its victims; it can only be presumed that said victims become Heartless themselves.'"

Aqua finished reading and looked at her companions.

"It was a Titan you saw, Terra. There's no other explanation."

"Ansem the Wise write that?" Ven asked. Aqua nodded.

"Big surprise," the blue-eyed boy replied. "Hate to know where he got the research from though."

"But, who could hate some one enough to let a Titan be born?" Aqua wondered, opening the book once more. "I just don't…" Aqua's voice trailed off and her hands started to shake.

"Aqua, what is it?" Terra's voice was tense, but his eyes were gentle. Aqua merely held out the book to Terra, pointing at the last sentence.

"'The Titan is, thankfully, a rare Heartless, but not unheard of. At the time of this writing, any and all Titans seen or heard of have been created by the victims' family.' Oh my God." Terra snapped the book shut.

"No way a little kid could do that," Ven protested.

"It wasn't the boy, Ven. No, but I know how it was." Terra ground his teeth in anger. "As I was leaving the beach, I heard one of the neighbors saying that the man who had been killed had two sisters and they were the only remaining members of his family."

"Then it was them!" Ven grasped the handle of his Keyblade. "They're the ones responsible for the deaths of those people."

"How could you hate your own brother like that?" Aqua shook her head. "It's unbelievable. "I know," Terra replied, handing the book back to Aqua. "But it looks like it's true."

"Then, what're we gonna do?"

"Do? Ven, we can't do anything. The victims are dead; nothing can bring them back."

"But that little boy, the son of the victims, what'll happen to him? If the people who caused this mess are his only living family, then-" Ven broke off as Terra firmly shook his head.

"I wish we could do something too, Ven, but we can't. You know the rule: we must not meddle in the affairs of other worlds. Trying to destroy a Heartless is as much interference as we can cause. Other than that, we're forbidden to do anything."

"Terra's right, Ven. I hate it too, but those are the rules and as Keyblade warriors, we must obey them."

Ven looked at each of his companions before sitting back down.

"I know," he moaned. "But… I hate that we can't help. We're _supposed_ to help people."

"We do what we can," Terra replied, staring into the fire. "Darkness comes to all worlds at some point or another. But the light always, _always_ returns."

Terra glanced up at the night sky, studded with twinkling stars. Peace was restored to the night for now, but it wouldn't last. Not with two women who had a Titan in their hearts around. But one day, that Titan would be defeated; Terra knew it would. And until then, he and his friends would continue to stop the Heartless until the light could be restored not just to this world, but to every world among the stars.


End file.
